BY Cameron Newland

In what could be an important finding for the electric bike industry, the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) has conducted a study on the impacts to trails of 20MPH pedal-assist electric bikes, and its preliminary findings state that “the physical impacts of low-powered, pedal-assist (Type 1) [electric mountain bikes] may be similar to traditional mountain bikes.”

The IMBA has seen a backlash from mountain bike advocates who have already had to defend their trails from encroachment from motorized motorcycles and dirtbikes. The angry hordes seem to think that allowing low-power pedal-assist electric bikes on trails will be a slippery slope that will lead to damaged, crowded trails and the possibility of over-powered electric bikes that are hard to differentiate from the low-powered variety. Clearly, the IMBA is between a rock and hard place on this one, and will have to create sensible guidelines for regulation that balance the interests of its members, but considering how strong the anti-ebike voices are, the IMBA may in fact cave in and maintain its position that “eMTBs should be considered to be a form of motorized recreation and managed separately from traditional mountain bikes.” We’ll continue to report on this story as it plays itself out.